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November 2011
NODA Area Agency on Aging
2901 North Van Buren, Enid, OK 73703
580-237-2236 or 800-749-1149
The Comfort of Home
Caregiver Assistance News
CARING FOR YOU
CARING FOR OTHERS
Alzheimer's Disease & Difficult Behavior
Hoarding and Clutter
In caring for someone with
Alzheimer's disease (AD), some
behaviors are more difficult to deal
with than others. You must learn to
cope with the behavior and to keep
yourself from burnout.
Your reaction depends on how you
interpret the behavior. If you think
of these behaviors as a way for the
person with AD to communicate
what she needs and feels, or what is
upsetting her, you'll be better able
to respond calmly. Always take a
moment to consider if the person
in your care is ill, in pain, tired, or
otherwise uncomfortable. Then, ask
yourself if you are asking too much of
him or her.
Hoarding
Individuals with dementia are
continuously losing parts of their
lives—work, friends, family, and
November Is National AD
Awareness Month
• 65°/o of AD patients are women
• 60°/o of caregivers of AD patients
are women
• One-third of all female caregivers
care for somebody with AD 24/7
Source: The Shriver Report (Maria Shriver & The Alzheimer's
Association)
memories. This can make them hoard
to "keep things safe." Hoarding can
also be triggered by a fear of being
robbed.
An uncluttered home is the
ideal environment. But remember
that safety and security are more
important than perfection.
Build trust. Any changes you make
to the home may cause a person with
dementia to become very anxious.
Safety first. Check for fire hazards,
fall hazards, and poisoning hazards.
Keep things like cleaning fluids,
plant soil, lotions, and medicines
out of reach. Regularly check the
refrigerator to make sure that old food
is tossed. Because some frail adults
hold onto furniture while moving
through the home, make sure that
these supports are stable.
Article continues
on page 2

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Full text

November 2011
NODA Area Agency on Aging
2901 North Van Buren, Enid, OK 73703
580-237-2236 or 800-749-1149
The Comfort of Home
Caregiver Assistance News
CARING FOR YOU
CARING FOR OTHERS
Alzheimer's Disease & Difficult Behavior
Hoarding and Clutter
In caring for someone with
Alzheimer's disease (AD), some
behaviors are more difficult to deal
with than others. You must learn to
cope with the behavior and to keep
yourself from burnout.
Your reaction depends on how you
interpret the behavior. If you think
of these behaviors as a way for the
person with AD to communicate
what she needs and feels, or what is
upsetting her, you'll be better able
to respond calmly. Always take a
moment to consider if the person
in your care is ill, in pain, tired, or
otherwise uncomfortable. Then, ask
yourself if you are asking too much of
him or her.
Hoarding
Individuals with dementia are
continuously losing parts of their
lives—work, friends, family, and
November Is National AD
Awareness Month
• 65°/o of AD patients are women
• 60°/o of caregivers of AD patients
are women
• One-third of all female caregivers
care for somebody with AD 24/7
Source: The Shriver Report (Maria Shriver & The Alzheimer's
Association)
memories. This can make them hoard
to "keep things safe." Hoarding can
also be triggered by a fear of being
robbed.
An uncluttered home is the
ideal environment. But remember
that safety and security are more
important than perfection.
Build trust. Any changes you make
to the home may cause a person with
dementia to become very anxious.
Safety first. Check for fire hazards,
fall hazards, and poisoning hazards.
Keep things like cleaning fluids,
plant soil, lotions, and medicines
out of reach. Regularly check the
refrigerator to make sure that old food
is tossed. Because some frail adults
hold onto furniture while moving
through the home, make sure that
these supports are stable.
Article continues
on page 2